Live Life Like Theres No Tomorrow
by MJ Awesome
Summary: ***FINAL CHAPTER*** Everything is back to normal, NOT! Life is not sugar coated people! What happens next? (Try to follow along, might get confusing!)R/R, Read And Review!!!
1. Life with no Ross

Live Life Like There's No Tomorrow  
  
"MOMMY! MOMMY! SpongeBob is on! Its on!" Four-year-old Emma screamed at the top of her lungs. Rachel walked from the kitchen to the living room.  
  
"It sure is." She said laughing at her daughter's excitement about a sponge that lives in a pineapple on a cartoon. She sat down by Emma who was screaming the theme song loudly. Rachel wanted to plug her ears, but knew if Emma saw, she would get upset. Emma had already decided that she was going to be a Superstar. A superstar, a rock climber, a horeyback rider, a cook, a princess and a 'vet-wan-awian.' Rachel just prayed that puberty would change her voice for the better. Rachel looked down at her daughter and stroked her dark brown hair. She smiled subtly. She missed Ross.  
  
"Well, it's time for you to go to Aunt Monica's for daycare." Rachel said as she ticked Emma. Emma squealed in delight. Rachel picked her daughter up and put her coat on.  
  
"I love you mommy."  
  
"I love you too, Emmy."  
  
Rachel stepped into her office. She was so tired. It was hard to be a single mother. She never knew how all the other mothers did so. She looked at the office, it was swamped. Then she looked over at Abby, the bitchy head woman in sales. Abby was sitting down in her chair, flipping through a magazine. She looked up and Rachel.  
  
"Hey, Rachel? Before we start our day, could you stock the printer and the copier with paper?" Rachel just stared at her, her mouth agape.  
  
Sure since you're doing so much." She snapped at her. Abby went back to her magazine, and Rachel stomped off. Rachel's day didn't end there, she had the biggest schedule in the place, and Abby only had to make a few sales calls sporadically throughout the day. She was so frustrated, but finally lunch came and she sat down to eat. She was having a nice conversation with Catherine, a lady in reservations, and they were joking and trading toddler comments. Rachel smiled whenever she mentioned Emma.  
  
"Yea, My daughter is 18 now, but when she was younger, it was a strict relationship. There was no leeway in that." Catherine had noted. Rachel looked at her and smiled.  
  
"Really? Cause Emma's got to be my best friend." Catherine's mouth dropped and she immediately began to shake her head.  
  
"No, no, you can't be best friends."  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Because, if you think you two are best friends, she's walking all over you. Believe me, it needs to be a parent CHILD relationship now." She said rudely. Rachel looked at her with a dirty look.  
  
"Excuse me, but Emma is four years old.."  
  
"That's when it starts." She cut her off curtly.  
  
"Hey, no, Emma is my best friend. She is a good girl, I don't know what sad kids you have, but Emma is sweet and we love each other very much." She said defensively. She stood up and slammed the top on her food. "Thanks for a great lunch though." She said sarcastically and exited.  
  
Rachel entered Monica's apartment at six. She was an hour late because she had to make more sales calls when she tripped Abby and Abby had to go to the hospital. She was greeted with a hug at her waist.  
  
"Hi Mommy!" Emma yelled. She began to yell things that happened to her that day, but Rachel just nodded, not even knowing what she was talking about. Monica walked over to Rachel.  
  
"She asked about him again today. I didn't know what to say." Monica whispered sadly. Rachel nodded.  
  
"Did you feed her dinner?" She asked Monica. Monica nodded, cleaning the dishes off the table. "Was it just you two?" Rachel asked, noting that no one else was there.  
  
"Yea, Chandler took Bailey to a hockey game. Emma was invited, but she just sat over at the window all day. I asked her what she was doing, and she told me that heaven was crying." Monica smiled. Rachel did too. She saw it was raining, heaven's tears, according to Emma. She smiled and picked Emma up.  
  
"I'll see you later Mon, give my love to Chandler and Bailey."  
  
"Will do."  
  
"Mommy! You fell asleep again!" Emma's yell shot Rachel up again.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You fell asleep mommy." She cried. Rachel sat up.  
  
"Okay, where were we?" Emma pointed to a random place on the book. "A ha. Okay. Then little miss muffet sat on her ennsi weensy spider went up the world so high like a diamond in the sky, not I know my ABC's next time won't you sing with me." She finished. Emma just stared at her.  
  
"That didn't sound right." She said simply. Rachel laughed.  
  
"Was it a good enough story though?" She asked hopefully.  
  
"It was great." Rachel smiled and kissed her daughter's head.  
  
"I have to go to bed Sweetie."  
  
"Mommy, where's daddy?" Rachel tried to smile, but she missed him so much.  
  
"You know where daddy is." She said gently.  
  
"Tell me again. And what he's doing right now." It was a game that Rachel and Emma had created. Every time Emma missed Ross, Rachel would close her eyes and tell Emma exactly what he was doing and where he was. Sometimes if Emma saw Rachel looking sad, she would do it too. She would be like, 'Daddy's in a car, listening to the radio.' It always helped Emma, but for Rachel, it was a little harder to convince. To Emma, Ross was on an extended vacation. For Rachel, he was dead.  
  
Rachel had tried to explain death to Emma, but Emma just didn't understand. She always had more questions that Rachel really didn't know how to answer. She sat down at the end of the bed.  
  
"Close your eyes." Rachel said. "Daddy is in his bed, trying to sleep, but he can't because he misses you too much, so he is looking at a picture of you, and how grown up are, and how much he loves you and wouldn't ever leave us on purpose. He knows you want to see him, but is too far away. But he can see you. And he loves you more everyday." Emma opened her eyes. She looked at Rachel who had tears running down her face.  
  
"Mommy, is daddy coming back?" Rachel shook her head.  
  
"Daddy can't come back. He's God's right hand Angel, and he is your guarding angel."  
  
"I love you mommy."  
  
"I love you too sweetie."  
  
Rachel stood and walked out of Emma's room, closing the door quietly behind her. 


	2. Wish upon a star

Live Life Like There's No Tomorrow  
  
Memories filled Rachel's head as she escaped from Emma's room. She folded her arms, rubbing down the goose bumps. She couldn't help missing Ross. It wasn't fair. Everything was going so great. And then he was taken away, just like that. Monica had gotten everything SHE wanted. She had a husband, a son, a perfect little life. Rachel was left with a daughter and a broken heart, a broken family.  
  
Emma didn't go without love though. Everybody loved her. Chandler actually acted as the biggest father figure in her life. Monica was like a second mom, so Rachel knew that as Emma grew when she would have problems that she couldn't discuss with Rachel, Monica would be the one who Emma could talk to. Joey and Phoebe really hadn't been around, but when they were, they made sure Emma knew she was loved. Ever since Joey had made it big in show biz, and Phoebe became a hit parody songwriter, they had seperated from the group, though they all saw each other on holidays and birthdays.  
  
Rachel had all of these people so close, so dear to her, yet she felt all alone. Rachel knew that everyone had that sympathy front out. The only person she felt at all truly cared for by was Emma. Emma was Rachel's godsend. She didn't know what she would do without Emma being by her side all of this time. She couldn't go one day without Emma telling her she loved her.  
  
Ross' passing was very hard on all of them. Monica had lost a brother, Rachel had lost a fiancée, Emma had lost her daddy, and the rest had lost a friend. Life without Ross in it was so different. It was like a puzzle that had fit together for so long, but one of the pieces was stripped away out from under them. And that was how it was going to have to stay, because there was no going back in time.  
  
The night Ross died started out as the happiest of Rachel's life.  
  
"Rachel, I love you so much. I know that so much has happened within the last few months, but still, I am ready to spend the rest of my life with you and my daughter. Will you marry me?"  
  
The words rang in Rachel's head, like an echo on the rocks. She could remember saying yes, and he slipped the ring on her finger. She remembered running out of wine that night, and Emma was crying, so Ross hurried out to buy more. He had been gone for hours, and Rachel remembered getting so mad at him, yet worried at the same time. She wanted him home.  
  
"Ms. Green? This is Dr. Wilkins at New York Community Hospital. Ross Geller put your name on his emergency contact at the hospital if anything were to happen to him....I'm afraid Ross Geller was pronounced dead this morning at 3:15. He was shot in a hold up in a local drugstore and was killed instantly. I'm sorry." Dr. Wilkins had said that night.  
  
Rachel walked into her room and collapsed onto her bed. Tears rolling down her cheeks. This wasn't the way it was supposed to be! She was supposed to be happy! She was supposed to get her happy ending. But God wasn't on her side that night.  
  
And that night, Rachel stopping believing in miracles, and in God.  
  
Rachel paused and looked up, hearing a little voice from down the hall. She stood up and walked to Emma's door, listening. She could barely make out what she was saying, but enough was clear.  
  
"...And God? I want to see my daddy cause I can't see him no more cause Mommy said you needed him, but I need him too...." Rachel heard Emma pray. She knew Monica had always been clear to Bailey about religious beliefs, and Emma must have picked up on it because Rachel had never actually taught Emma how to pray. She looked at her little girl: Emma was sitting there, her hands tightly clasped in perfect praying position. She sat on her knees, facing the window. Her head was bowed down as she mumbled more into the night. Rachel shook her head. There was no God to return Emma's prayers, and if there was, he wouldn't sit back and watch this little girl pray her heart out for something that could never be undone. She shut the door and walked back to her room.  
  
Rachel sat in her bed, going through her 'Ross Box.' She had had it since they started dating. She looked over old letters, little pictures and diary entries. She looked up. The stars filled the sky. They were unusually bright in the New York City atmosphere. She looked down at her empty bed. A bright shooting star passed. A shooting star; huh, that was rare. She thought a bit, if she were to wish on a star.. wait. Who was she kidding? Wishing on a star? What was she? Eight? She looked back at her box. She picked up an old photo. She felt tears form. It was the whole gang, all of them. She and Ross had been a couple then, and everyone was happy. She looked back up at the sky. Wishing and praying weren't the same thing were they?  
  
"I wish we could have Ross back." She whispered. She was startled by her cat jumping up onto the bed, and chuckled to herself. Being depressed certainly made you do weird things. She stroked her cat's head and set the box onto the floor. Rachel laid back and looked at the picture frame on her nightstand, it was Ross. She whispered good night, and turned off her lamp.  
  
XOXOElizabethXOXO 


	3. Strange Happenings

Live Life Like There's No Tomorrow  
  
Rachel woke up the very next morning. She heard voices from her kitchen. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the ceiling. She swore Emma awoke earlier and earlier each day. She sighed and sat up, looking out the window. Rachel had to start her Saturday.  
  
She got up and stepped onto the hard wood floor. She let out a yelp of pain when she stepping into her box, her foot landing onto an object from inside. She tended to her aching foot, and then stood. She heard Emma laughing. Chandler and Monica must have come over. She pulled her robe around herself and entered the living room. The TV was on, and she heard something sizzling on the pan. She remembered her wish. What if...  
  
"Hey Rach. Good morning." Rachel looked at the man who had just greeted her, and her heart sank.  
  
"Hi Chandler." She looked around. She didn't see Emma, but Chandler was on the couch holding a little girl. Rachel stared at the familiar little girl, but before she could ask, she saw Monica was cleaning her kitchen, and didn't care too much.  
  
"Really, Rach, you should use 'Comet'. It kills germs a whole lot faster." Monica said helpfully. Rachel rolled her eyes.  
  
"Mon, really, you guys don't have to do this. I can handle my home. It's been three years." She said bringing a bowl into the kitchen. Monica looked at her strangely.  
  
"Three years since what?" Monica asked cluelessly. Rachel looked at her with a 'HELLO!' look on her face. Monica just stared contently into Monica's eyes.  
  
"Since Ross, you know." Rachel said giving up.  
  
"Rach, Hon, are you feeling okay? Ross is at the store." Rachel shook her head at Monica.  
  
"Why are you doing this? That is so heartless. Ross is dead."  
  
"Okay, go lay down, you don't look well."  
  
"I'm fine. What's wrong with you?" Rachel said walking back to the dining room. She looked at the calendar, and then did a double take. 2002. It wasn't 2002! It was 2005! If it were 2002, Emma would only be one! She looked over at Emma, who was no longer four years old. "What happened to Emma?" Chandler looked at Rachel like she was crazy.  
  
"She's an alcoholic." Chandler said sarcastically. "She's the same as the last time I checked."  
  
"Well, yesterday she was four, now she's one again."  
  
"Okay Rip Van Winkle. Go pass out for another 20 years, okay?" Chandler joked. Monica hit him in the stomach.  
  
"Chandler, you know she's just tired. She's an engaged woman now!" Monica said pointing to an engagement ring that rested happily on her finger. She looked at it. She must have gotten out of her Ross box and forgot to take it off. She pulled the ring off quickly.  
  
"Can someone tell me what's going on, and were my daughter is?"  
  
"Emma is right here." Chandler said handing Emma to Rachel. Rachel smiled. It was Emma. It seemed like forever since she was that small to hold in her arms. She looked up at Monica.  
  
"Am I going crazy?"  
  
"That's part of being a woman. Look, do you want me to take Emma today? You obviously need some rest. Just tell Ross I said hi." Before Rachel could think, Monica took her niece and walked out of Rachel's apartment. Rachel sighed an annoyed sigh. She had never in her life been so confused! She walked around the apartment trying to figure out what was going on. She looked at the pictures. They had gone from her and Emma, to Emma, Rachel and Ross. She saw no recent photos of Emma, either. In fact, she was starting to miss Emma. Where was she? Why had it seemed she had gone back in time?  
  
There were no pictures Emma had finger painted at Monica's. There were no drawings on the walls due to Emma's crayolas. Every thing was so different, but so familiar. She hadn't seen the apartment like this since four years ago. She collapsed onto her couch. She had to have been dreaming. That was the last time she ate cake frosting at 2:00 am. She opened her eyes quickly and ran to her room. She ripped open her closet.  
  
Every bit of Ross' clothing hung up. His shoes were organized at the bottom. His ties were on the tie rack. Every thing was back. She had sold all of Ross' stuff after he died. She looked by the bed. Two wine glasses sat on his nightstand by a bottle of wine, half empty. The Calendar said March 8th2002. Ross had died March 7TH2002. She sat on her bed, trying to put everything together. She looked at her hand that made a fist. She opened it revealing her engagement ring. She had gone back three years.  
  
Rachel jumped at the sound of someone entering the apartment. She took an intake of breath and walked slowly to the hallway. A man with dark hair stood in her kitchen, his back turned to her. She swallowed. He turned around and looked up.  
  
"Hey Rach. Good morning. Did you still need aspirin?" Rachel's mouth sat agape. She walked closer to the man, placing her hands on each of his cheeks, tears filled her glimmering eyes.  
  
"Ross?" She asked. Ross looked at her with a weird look on his face. He put his hands on hers.  
  
"Who else would I be?" He asked. Rachel collapsed into his arms, crying hysterically. "Okay, no more wine at early hours for you." He said laughing. Rachel pulled away.  
  
"But the doctor, and the hold up, you died." She said plainly.  
  
"Did I? Okay. Well, last I remember going out, buying wine and coming home to, ahem, celebrate with my fiancée." He said smiling. He kissed her simply on the mouth. Rachel was thrown off by it; she missed his lips. She forgot how he kissed. She forgot how he felt. She looked at him, her eyes straining as if trying to see through him. She kissed him more intensely than he had. She wrapped her arms round his neck. He was leaning on the counter for support, because Rachel as dead weight on him. He laughed the whole time.  
  
"I missed you so much." She said hugging him. He patted her back.  
  
"Okay. You need some rest I see." He pulled away. "Where's Emma? You didn't accidentally put her in the oven; I wouldn't be surprised if you did with how you are acting this morning. Why are you acting so strange?"  
  
"I just realized what life would be like without you." She said. Her voice cracked.  
  
"Well, hopefully you wont have to live life without me. We'll be married soon enough." He said. "Are you sure you're okay?" He looked at her.  
  
"I just need a shower. A long shower." She said walking to the bathroom.  
  
She stepped inside of the green bathroom. She looked at her reflection. She looked a bit younger, but on the mot part, she looked the same. She had shorter hair, and it was darker. She looked at the dark rings around her eyes. Although she couldn't remember the 'night of the engagement,' (Which she had referred to before as 'The night of Ross' passing') she did know however she and Ross celebrated was an all night thing. She got into the shower. She was half way done when she heard the bathroom door open.  
  
"Hey! We have my parent's dinner party thingy tonight. Do you want to announce the engagement?" She heard him yell. Frankly, she wanted to shout out to everyone that Ross was still alive.  
  
"Sure." She smiled. God had given her a second chance.  
  
And for the first time in three years, Rachel prayed to god, thanking him for his mirical.  
  
More to Come!  
  
XOXOElizabethXOXO  
  
Hey! I hope you like it! And Mel, I know I didn't use ALL of your ideas, but thank you so much! I LOVE YOU ALL! (You too, Taylor! :) ) 


	4. Strange Realizations

Live Life Like There's No Tomorrow  
  
Rachel couldn't stop smiling. She was caught up in a wonderful dream. A long, beautiful, wonderful dream. Everything was so great again. She did miss Emma, the four-year-old Emma, but it was a small price to pay for getting the love of her life back. She would see the older Emma again in four years, right? It was all so confusing. She was totally dressed and ready to go. Ross had gone downstairs to catch a cab. Ross was back, for good this time.  
  
She used to think that Ross dying was inevitable. Well, dying is always inevitable, but what she meant was so many things had stopped her and Ross from being together in the past, she honestly couldn't find herself surprised when he died. She was hurt and shocked, but not surprised. She heard the front door open, Ross peeked his head in.  
  
"Hey, the cabs downstairs. Are you ready?" He asked. Rachel stared at him longingly. "Look, if you don't feel well, we can stay home." He said again. She smiled at his concern.  
  
"I'm fine. Let's get this over with. Monica's bringing Emma, right?"  
  
"Yup." With that, Rachel and Ross exited the apartment.  
  
Rachel found herself clung to Ross' side all night. She did her best to make sure he was never out of her sight, much to Ross' annoyance. She followed him wherever he went, smiling broadly. People congratulated them on Emma and their engagement. Then towards the end of the night, Rachel, Emma and Ross had their first family portrait taken together as a family. And Rachel was happy for the first time, to her, in three years.  
  
Ross, Rachel, Emma, Chandler and Monica sat at the table. Monica noticed Rachel looking at her strangely. Monica glanced at her too.  
  
"Rachel? What's up with you?"  
  
"Where's Bailey?"  
  
"Who's Bailey?" Ross asked, speaking to Rachel with a concerned face.  
  
Rachel watched Monica stand. She noticed the small bulge in Monica's stomach.  
  
"You're pregnant!" She gasped. Rachel had forgotten that Monica had become pregnant when Emma was just under a year old. Monica stared at her like she wanted to hit her upside the head.  
  
"Yea, I kind of figured that out."  
  
"Well, what are you going to name it?" Ross asked. Monica looked at Chandler.  
  
"If it's a boy, we chose Brandon, and if it's a girl, we chose April." Chandler and Monica cuddled in closer together, both excited that their baby was only five months away from them. It was due August 17th. Soon, it was time to call it a night. Actually, when Jack Geller jumped upon the table singing Jingle Bells (a song you sing in December, not March), they knew it was time to go.  
  
Rachel and Ross walked straight into the apartment, holing little Emma in their hands. She was at the age when she was trying her hardest to walk. Ross held both of her hands as she clung on for dear life, gripping his fingers trying to walk. Once she had taken about two steps, she let out a squeal promoting her victory. Rachel picked her daughter up and carried her into her room, followed by Ross.  
  
Once Emma had her pink pajamas on, Rachel and Ross laid down beside her. Rachel sang a lullaby, and then Ross read her a story. She fell asleep quickly because she was being so tired from her long day. Ross and Rachel took turns kissing their daughter's forehead, and leaving the room.  
  
Rachel sat on the couch be her fiancée. He was into the TV, which was showing a documentary on Darwin's Theory, but Rachel couldn't take her eyes off of him. She kept letting her mind wonder. Was it fair that she had gone back in time? Well, EVERYONE would have to relive anything that had happened to him or her within the past three years. She was so grateful that she got him back, but she couldn't help wondering what the catch was. When was he going to be taken away again? How long could he stay? There had to be some kind of plot. Something.  
  
Rachel snapped her head back to the T.V. A special News Bulletin came on. She averted her eyes to the man on the screen.  
  
"Good Evening, this is a Fox News interruption. Tonight we have a follow up on last nights chilling story of a 7-11 massacre." Rachel's eyes widened as she stared at the screen. "A man held up the local 7-11 last night at 11:15, and ended the night with a bloody shootout. Two were found dead, Joey Tribianni and Phoebe Buffay. Both were 33 years of age, and were said to have been a couple at the time. The man, who was named 'Jason Riley', took his own life and was found in his New York apartment. For more on this case, stay tuned for the 10:00 news, tonight. And now, back to your previous TV show...."  
  
"Rachel, did they just say Joey Tribianni and Phoebe Buffay? OUR Joey and Phoebe?" Ross asked slowly. Rachel nodded slowly. "Last night?" Rachel nodded again.  
  
"Ross, what time did you go to 7-11 last night?"  
  
"10:45, 11:00 tops. That is so strange. If I would have stayed, I might not be here right now. Could you imagine that?" He asked, still in shock over finding his two friends were found dead.  
  
"I think I can." Rachel said almost in a whisper. Sure, she had gotten Ross back, but Joey and Phoebe were dead. She put her head in her hands.  
  
"We have to tell Monica and Chandler."  
  
"Wait, Ross, I need you to tell me everything you remember last night, at 7- 11." Rachel said placing her hands on his shoulders. Ross looked off into space, trying to remember.  
  
"I remember going in, and.... I got a bottle of wine."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And then I got Emma some Tylenol. I went to the cashier, and she rang everything up, I turned to walk out, and a man walked in with a gun." He paused, as if he had never realized it before. He went on. "He aimed it towards me and the cashier, so we got onto the ground. Then it all went white, and before I knew it, I woke up....here." He stood up quickly. "I don't understand. Joey and Phoebe weren't even there!" Rachel could feel him getting frustrated, and confused. She stood up facing him.  
  
"Ross, I need to tell you something, but you're going to think I'm crazy." Rachel said string deeply into his eyes. She opened her mouth, but before anything could come out, she was interrupted by the sheer ringing of the telephone. Ross put a finger up, signaling 'one moment.' Rachel sat back down onto the couch. She could hear Monica crying on the other end. She listened to Ross try his hardest to calm her down, and after a few moments, he hung up. Rachel stood up again, focusing towards him.  
  
"What were you going to say?" He asked.  
  
"Ross, you're.... Right. No more wine at early hours for you. You must be remembering a dream you had."  
  
"No, I know this happened. I don't know how I got home..."  
  
"Well you got home safely and that's all that matters, okay?" Rachel said raising her voice a bit. "I'm scared Ross, okay? I don't know what's going on. Can we please just go to bed, we have two funerals to arrange."  
  
And so they did.  
  
XOXOElizabethXOXO  
  
MORE SOON! DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! ( 


	5. Saving Grace

Live Life Like There's No Tomorrow 5  
  
Everything was near unbelievable. Rachel felt she was losing her mind. With gaining Ross, she had lost her two dearest friends. She didn't sleep at all that night.  
  
Rachel entered Monica's quiet apartment. There were not sounds of a guitar tuning, or any 'How you doin's and Yea Baby's.' It was almost scary how strange it was without them. Rachel felt a stream of guilt wash over her. It was her fault Phoebe and Joey were dead.  
  
"Monica?" Rachel hollered. Monica stepped out of her room, blowing her nose into a tissue. She was already suffering from pregnancy hormones; this was the last thing she needed. She looked at Rachel helplessly.  
  
"Their gone." She said sadly. Rachel hurried over to comfort her friend. Rachel patted and rubbed Monica's back, coaxing her to calm down. Monica pulled away and walked to the kitchen.  
  
"Mon, sometimes things happen." Rachel comforted. Monica looked at Rachel sorrowfully.  
  
"But not to us. This wasn't supposed to happen. Phoebe was just getting her songwriting up and Joey was finally getting his big break. And now it's all gone."  
  
Rachel was at a loss for words. There was nothing she COULD say to mend Monica's broken heart at the moment. Rachel stared at Monica and shook her head. She felt so bad. She had been so selfish, but she didn't know that by bringing Ross back she would have to loose two of her dearest friends. Stupid catches.  
  
"Monica, I am sorry. If I could go back and change everything, I would. But I can't." She tried. Monica walked over and sat on the couch.  
  
"I just get this feeling lately. This isn't right. I get all of these feelings. I feel like I am reliving all of this stuff." Rachel wanted to tell Monica everything, but Monica would think she was crazy. No, she couldn't, wouldn't, tell her. She patted Monica's back. She needed time to think.  
  
"Monica, do you want to go with me to the coffee house? We can reminisce." Rachel attempted. Monica shook her head and went into her room, quietly shutting the door behind her. Rachel didn't know what to do; she stood and went down to the coffeehouse.  
  
She was surprised to see the coffee house totally empty. Even the bright color of Gunther's hair was missing. She called around.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
No response. She sighed and went behind the counter. She knew how to make her own coffee, so she started up the machine. Gunther won't mind, she told herself. She listened to the roaring and buzzing of the coffee maker. Rachel looked around for a cup. She found a large yellow one sitting on the counter. She picked it up, but a force made her drop it. She looked around quickly. The place was silent; no movement came around what so ever. She bent down slowly to pick up the shattered pieces. One of the edges cut her hand, and she let out a small shriek. When she stood, she noticed that the room looked different. The chairs had been moved around. She decided that she had had enough, so she grabbed her purse and began out of the Central Perk. She neared the door.  
  
"You're just going to leave us again?" The voice made her freeze in her tracks. She turned around slowly. "Don't leave."  
  
Sitting on the couch, were Joey and Phoebe. Rachel looked at them awkwardly. They look fine.  
  
"Aren't you guys.."  
  
"Dead? Oh, yea, no thanks to you." Joey joked.  
  
"You guys, I didn't think that you would have died that night, I just..."  
  
"We know! You love Ross; he loves you, blah blah! If it's any matter, being dead sucks!" Phoebe stood up facing Rachel. Rachel looked down.  
  
"There is nothing I can do." She said sadly. Phoebe looked sad too.  
  
"Rachel, we're not the ones that should have died that night, you know it. But God hasn't given up on you. You gave up on him. Now, you asked him to prove to you that miracles exist, and he did. But now you need to do what's right."  
  
"How?"  
  
"That's the hard part." Joey began. "We are going to put you back in time again. Only once more. You need to stop us from dying. We aren't supposed to be taken yet." Rachel felt her eyes fill up with tears.  
  
"And Ross? Does he have to go back?" Joey and Phoebe looked down sadly, nodding.  
  
"That's just the way it has to be. As soon as you are done, everything will be the same again. Emma will be four, Bailey will have been born. Everything. I am sorry Rachel." Rachel nodded.  
  
"Okay. Let's do this then." She said wiping her eyes.  
  
"Rachel, we love you, and will see you in, five minutes."  
  
Before Rachel's mouth could open, she found herself standing outside of a seven eleven. It was 11:10. She had five minutes to save Joey and Phoebe, so that they could live. But Ross would have to die. She took a deep breath, and stepped into the store.  
  
Sure enough, Joey and Phoebe were standing in the food section. She waved at them.  
  
"You guys, get our of here." She said. Both of them looked at her weird. "NOW! Some one is going to rob this place get out." Joey and Phoebe put their stuff down and walked to the door.  
  
"Rachel? Are you okay?" Joey asked before he left. Rachel looked at him firmly, and e hurried out. "That was too easy." She told herself. She looked around, and got ready to leave, but she heard the bells on the store door jingle. She ran to the back of the store, peaking out from behind the food aisle. A man walked in. It was Ross. She didn't want to leave. She knew he was supposed to go, but she wouldn't let him. She wouldn't let him die. She would do anything, even if it risked her own life. She ran over to him.  
  
"Ross, leave!" She shouted. He looked at her and frowned.  
  
"What are you doing here? He asked. She shook her head in irritation.  
  
"That's not important, Go!"  
  
"But, Rachel, I need to get the-"  
  
The bells. They jingled again. Rachel felt her blood run cold. It was time. And now, she would have to see her fiancée die. She turned around. A man wearing a black ski mask entered the store. He had his hand in his jacket, clutching what appeared to be his gun. Rachel leaned in towards Ross, who was trying to figure out what was going on.  
  
"Ross, move to the back with me." She whispered. Gradually, both moved to the back of the store. She laid down onto the ground Ross stared at her in bewilderment. He crouched down near her.  
  
"I swear, you are getting to be more like Phoebe every day." He chuckled. Rachel shushed him fiercely. He just stared at her. "What is going on?" he whispered.  
  
"We need to get out of here." Rachel stood slowly, followed by Ross. She took his hand and ran towards the seven eleven door. But she bumped into the man instead.  
  
XOXOElizabethXOXO 


	6. With Love Comes Sacrifice

Live Life Like There's No Tomorrow  
  
A two-barreled gun was just at eye level with Rachel all in one swift movement. Rachel looked at Ross who looked back at her, helplessly.  
  
"Both of you, on the floor, NOW!" The man under the mask shouted.  
  
Rachel slowly, without taking her eyes off of the gun, moved to the floor. She tried to come up with a plan, but everything seemed to go by so quickly. She lifted her head up to see what was going on.  
  
Ross was lying next to her, looked over at her. The man was waving the gun at the seven eleven clerk who was shoveling money into the man's bag. Rachel was startled by the gunshot. She stared at the clerk who slowly fell to his knees, and then the floor.  
  
The man looked around and glared at Rachel who had been staring at him. He jogged over to Rachel and held the gun to her head again.  
  
"You get up," he began. He moved to gun to Ross' head. "And he gets it." He said coldly. Rachel shuddered at the chill in his voice. She thought she had heard the man leave, but when she stood, another gunshot rang through the air. He hadn't really left. Quickly she did what she could do, moving in front of Ross. Luckily, that bullet missed both of them.  
  
But the next one didn't. Rachel felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. She looked down at her stomach where a thick layer of blood had covered at least a two-inch radius of her shirt. She looked back up, seeing Ross tackling the man with the gun to the ground, trying desperately to gain control over the gun. Before she knew it, everything turned white.  
  
The bright light of the morning made Rachel wake up. She sat up slowly, skimming her empty bed. She had succeeded in getting Phoebe and Joey back. Now everything was back to normal. She looked down on the floor to her Ross box. And then she looked at her nightstand, where a picture of her and Ross still sat. She stared down at her stomach. There was no scar. There were no marks. Just her stomach. The bedroom door burst open and Emma, four years old again, ran into the room.  
  
"MOM! Sponge bob is on!" She said ritually. Rachel smiled.  
  
"I missed you sweetie. Give mama a hug." She gestured as Emma jumped onto the bed to embrace Rachel.  
  
"Dada said I should let you sleep, but I hadta tell ya that sponge bob is on!" Emma said sincerely. Rachel smiled faded and she turned very serious.  
  
"Wh-who told you to let me sleep?" Rachel asked making sure she had heard right.  
  
"Daddy! And he said that maybe we can go to the zoo and see the kangawoos!" Emma got off of the bed and ran out of the room.  
  
Rachel stood up slowly, walking out of the room. She peered out into the living room and watch Emma crawl back up onto Ross' lap. Ross looked over to her and smiled.  
  
"Hey." He said casually. Rachel waved.  
  
"Hi." She said. She looked at him oddly, and he noticed.  
  
"What's wrong honey?" He asked concerned. Rachel shook her head. She thought that Ross couldn't come back. She thought he was just going to be gone like before. She looked down at her finger and noticed there was no ring.  
  
"Sweetie, where's my ring?" She asked trying to sound sane.  
  
"We put it up until the wedding." He said, putting his attention back on the overweight starfish on the TV.  
  
"When's the wedding date again?" She asked. He half smiled.  
  
"Well, we've been engaged for three years and we still haven't set one. Remember? We wanted to wait until Emma was older and we were sure this is what we wanted."  
  
"Okay.. Let's get married now." She said excitedly.  
  
"Okay, when did you think of this?" He chuckled. "I mean, I think we can still hold off, if that's what you want." He said hiding sadness in his voice.  
  
"Ross, I think we are ready." She smiled as she sat down beside him.  
  
"Okay. Let's get married." He smiled back as he kissed her cheek.  
  
"Me too!" Emma squealed.  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
The wedding was held in March that year. Emma was the flower girl, as they became a true family. Rachel never told anyone about the experience she had. She probably never will. But she still thinks about the lessons she has learned from it every day: love equals sacrifice, never let the little things get to you, always count on your friends, and live each day like there's not tomorrow..  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
XOXOEliazbethXOXO 


End file.
